“ABIDE WITH ME.”

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1686, 22 June 1904, Page 77 (Supplement)

“ABIDE WITH ME.”

The story of how the beautiful hymn. “Abide With Me’ 1 came into being is revived by the effort which is being mode to complete' the rebuilding of the church ■of Loirer Brixham which was begun 30 years ago in memory of the author of the hymn, the Rev. Henry -Francis Lyte, who was the first vicar of -he church. For 20 years he laboured am mg the fishermen of the little fishing port; refusing all preferment, and st the age of 54 he found. himself doomed to die •of Consumption. ‘ sorrow -at having to leave his work unfinished, he prayed that it, might, be granted to him to write something which would live to the glory of God when he was dead. His prayer was granted, and.he wrote “Abide Wiith Me” on the last evening that .he' ever •spent at Brixham, after preaching 'to his flock for the last time, and as the sun was setting over* the ships that lay in the harbour: Next morning he started for the Riviera,’ and died there a month later. In the last 30 years ..£7OOO has been spent on rebuilding the church, and .£2OOO is still required to complete the work. • A detemined effort is being made to raise ■ the money, and on May 10th a matinee concert’ under the patronage of Princess Christian of Schleswig-Holstein, will be held in aid of the rebuilding fund at Grosvenor House, which has been lent I for the occasion by the Duke and Duchess t>f Westminster. The hvum will be sung at the Concert by Madame Clara Butt, and many other brilliant artistes have promised their aid. Donations may be I sent to the Rev. Stewart Sim, The Vicar- i age, Lower Brixham.